Chicago’s Perfect Tour for Chocoholics

A city like Chicago offers so much to do that residents aren’t aware of it all– and even then, just can’t cover it all! There are plenty of tourist attractions, but whether a tourist or a resident of the city, Chicago Chocolate Tours are a great Chicago attraction for those who want to do something “off the beaten path.”

Chicago Chocolate Tours provide daily walking tours to some of Chicago’s hottest chocolate spots. Founder, Valerie Beck, is a former attorney from Harvard Law School, but found herself always sharing her love of chocolate with family and friends. She turned her passion for chocolate into a business endeavor. In further efforts to spread chocolate cheer, Beck has also expanded the tours to Boston and Philadelphia.

The Tour
Upon arriving at the designated starting point of the chocolate tour, you’ll be greeted by your tour guide and fellow tour participants. With the common goal being chocolate, the group can easily be made up of adults as well as kids from near and far. The public tours serve up to 15 people; however, they do offer private tours for larger groups. Be prepared for the happy gazes and pleasant mumbles from passersby who see the processional led by the tour guide toting the Chicago Chocolate Tours flag.

The Chocolate Routes
Since Chicago is so vast, there are five different routes to choose from that showcase the chocolate must-do’s of the city. For the downtown loop route, we found ourselves in six different chocolate “venues”. They ranged from the standard chocolates housed in Macy’s (think Frango mints among other chocolatiers) to exotic chocolate beverages at Argo teas and Wow Bao’s for chocolate stuffed, hot, Asian buns. At every stop, and after each presentation, participants get at least fifteen minutes to indulge in the samples, browse, or make a purchase.

Chocolate History & More
The tour is quite informative, educating patrons with not only the history of chocolate, but also about the creators of the specific chocolate products/brands they’re able to sample. Chocolate lovers walk away enriched –literally, with fun facts such as the scoop on white chocolate, the health benefits of chocolate, and what happens when you put it in the refrigerator. The accomplishment is three-fold: History lesson for the day? Check. Leisure stroll for exercise? Check. Good dose of chocolate? Check.

Chocolate is good for anytime, so according to tour guide, Kerri Morrison, weather isn’t an obstacle for the true chocolate lover. “We do tours 365 [days] and people come. They’re there for the chocolate no matter what,” she says. Nevertheless, remember to dress accordingly in the case of Chicago’s notorious weather. Be sure to wear comfy shoes, since this is a walking tour, after all.

Chicago is known for many things; namely, top restaurants. However, there’s a lot to be said about the many places it has to appease chocoholics. Whether you’re a lover of dark or milk chocolate, Nestle or Godiva – whatever your chocolate fancy, Chicago Chocolate Tours are a must-do for every chocolate lover.

Visit www.chicagochocolatetours.com for more information about Chicago Chocolate Tours. For even more sweet indulgence, cupcake tours are also available.

Nikki Smith has been freelance writing for over 4 years. Documenting her vacations overseas to friends awakened a dormant passion to write. A contributor on Igougo.com, a travel writing website, she’s also been published on Blackenterprise.com and US Express. Nikki resides in Chicago with her 10 month old son, Brian.